Multiple slide valve and operator therefor



April 15, 1952 E. MERCIER ETAL MULTIPLE SLIDE'VALVE AND OPERATOR THEREFOR Filed Maron e, 1946 Marce! Ehlmqw VEN-r R5 air Mtomeq Patented pr. 15, 17.952

MULTIPLE SLIDE VALVE AND OPERATOR THEREFOR.

Ernest Mercier and Marcel Ehlinger, Paris, France, assignors, by mesne assignments, to Moore, Inc., Atlanta, Ga., a corporation of Georgia Y Application March s, 194s, serial No. 652,442 In France March 27, 1945 1o claims. (ci. 137-153) i IThis invention has for its object improvements 4 in such valves which comprise an apertured reciprocablegate or slide plate, and more especially relates to multiple-nozzle valves of that type 'which are described in United States application Serial No. 600,390, led June 19, 1945, now Patent Number 2,576,843, based on the French patent iiled by-the. applicants on September l2, 1942, entitled "Improvements inFree-Piston Generators and in the related Certificate of Addition dated November 30,1942. l

The multiple-nozzle valves referred to are,V designed for use in all sorts of conventional or freepiston vfluid-operated machines, gas, hotair or steam-engines, and compressors of everydescripr tion.` They comprise a pair of complementary grates made up of streamlined bars in such a manner thatl the section ofthe free .space be- 'tween'the corresponding faces of any two successive bars has exactly the shape of a convergingdiverging nozzle. A slotted gate or slide plate is movably mounted between .the grates for the purpose of closing or opening the throats ofthe nozzles.

Valves of that kind may be controlled with different operating mechanisms. This invention consists, in one of its applications, inproviding the `gates or slide plates of such valveswith adiaphragm whosefaces are influenced by the workingV fluids, the slide plate being connected tothe .central-portion of the diaphragm to move` forwardly. and reversely` between predetermined positions upon iiexure of theidiaphragm, these .predetermined positions corresponding to vthe closed and open positions of the-slide plate.` Such .valves may operate under the saine or similar conditions as ordinary relief valves. u

`Another feature of this invention consists .in combining such a diaphragm with a spring where,- by the .movement of the valve can setin earlier than at the moment of operation as determined by the pressures on the diaphragm. y Such lead in action is controlled by the stressing Yof the sprjngand the. diaphragm itself eanconstitute ,'The apertured4 gate or side plate I, shown in its open position at the end of its stroke towards the left, is slidably mounted between the bars of the stationary lower grate 2 and those of the stationary upper grate3. The bars may be cutv out e. g. frornsectional cast iron or steel and held in position by a cast iron ring, or they may also be loose bars arranged sideby side and suitably pressed together. In both cases they rest on a circular seat 4 provided in the valve body extending labout the axis thereof. A ring 5 with an external thread engaging a corresponding thread in the body I allows both grates to be clamped in position. i

The grates are spaced from each other by a distanceA ring, not shown, and passages in the form of converging-diverging nozzles are left 'between the `grate bars for the gas flow.

The valve body 1 hasV cylindrical Vinner and outer walls which, however, are eccentric with respect to each other. All the machining work to beperfo-rmed on parts of the valve and body thereof can be carried out on the lathe.

The rod 8 for: the control ofthe valve actuates the gate I through the medium of a pin 9. The gate or slide plate is freely movable lengthwise of pin 9 by such fraction of a millimeter as will allow it unrestrained to come into engagement -with either-y the bars of the lower grate 2 or those of the upper grate 3. i e

-Secured by al nut I0 on the right end ofthe actuating rod 8 is a diaphragm I I.

This diaphragm is supported at its periphery so that its central portion is movable in 'a chamber I2 vprovided within the thicker portion of the .valve body l, the diaphragm dividing the chamlthe, machine instead ofthe'body o-f the valve itself. d A

It willbe appreciated that under such conditionsthe diaphragm is subjected. to the action of the fluids toallow it to operate in the manner of an ordinary relief valve and it eontrolsthe `gate and ensures the desired automaticity in the action of the valve. Y n Y Howeven the valve thus designed can be improved Avery 'materially and thus enabled tore- 'pspovnd without'y the leastl delay. and even. ifdef a plurality of generally parallel paths, a valve supported in said valve structure for reciprocat- Such a result is attained because the diaphragm is allowed to function as a spring which is stressed by the pressure of the gases and which will begin to recoil and to actuate the valve before the pressures at either side of the valve balance each other exactly.

In order that the diaphragm which has a circular shape may possess the elasticity exactly necessary for the performance of that duty, it is composed of a pair of discs fitting each other eX- actly at their inner or contacting faces. .The outer faces of said discs are so machined that the thickness of the latter in the central portion adjacent to the nut l may be, say, 1 mm. while decreasing towards the edge down to, say, 0.2 mm. Moreover, each disc has narrow equally spaced slits I6, I1 cut radially therein as shown in Fig. 3. The slits I6 in the one disc are offset angularly with respect to the slits ll in the other disc. With such an arrangement the diaphragm acquires the desired exibility While retaining its fluid-tightness in both directions.

The diaphragm as shown in Figs. 1 and 2 is deected into its end position to the left. It will be seen that the diaphragm is limited in its deiiection by a, fixed suitably designed abutment i9 at its rim portion and by ring abutments and 2l respectively at the Yright and the left sides thereof and that in addition, a stroke-limiting abutment is provided at i8.

The abutments 20 'and 2lv are adjustable and for that purpose each of them is embodied as a ring with a ne screw vthread engaging respectively a fixed concentric thread in the body 'l and a thread in a spider supporting Vthe ring 20.

Displacing the abutments 20 and 2| in the suitable direction allows to adjust the value of the force necessary to deect the diaphragm into its final right or left position. The higher this force, the earlier the diaphragm will begin to re'- spond before the point of balance between the fluid pressures at opposite sides of the diaphragm is reached.

Besides, different adjustments are necessary for the opening and the closing strokes.

A further substantial advantage of the abovedescribed spring device is that it will absorb the shocks that would be set up by the movable system at the completion of either stroke, which shocks are one of the weaknesses proper to relief valves.

The preceding arrangements, which have been described as applied to a valve circular in section, can also be applied generally to valves of any desired rectangular, oval or like shape.

Likewise, the diaphragm which has been described as having a circular outline can be given any desired rectangular, oval or like shape. Conversely, the circular valve described above as provided with a diaphragm designed to make it automatic in its action can also be used without a diaphragm and provided with any desired control system.

What we claim as our invention and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. A valve structure comprising means providing a plurality of spaced valve openings within said structure for flow of a fluid therethrough in ing movement thereof transversely of the direction of flow through said valve openings between two predetermined positions, said valve having a plurality of apertures therein in spaced relation so as to register respectively with said openings to unclose said openings when said valve is in a given one of said predetermined positions and cooperating with said means providing said valve openings to close said valve openings when said valve is in said other predetermined position, a iiexible diaphragm supported in said valve struc- I ture and operatively connected to said valve for with `said valve structure to form a fluid pressure chamber communicating with the fluid pressure space at a given side of said valve so that said diaphragm is subjected at least at a given face thereof to the fluid pressure at said side of said valve, and stop means supported in said valve structure sol as to engage and disengage said diaphragm at said given face thereof at a point in the movement of said valve adjacent one of said predetermined positions and cooperating with said valve structure and with said diaphragm to change the effective area of said diaphragm subjected to said fluid pressure upon such engagement and disengagement of said diaphragm with said stop means, bias means acting upon said diaphragm upon engagement of said Stbp means by said diaphragm to bias said diaphragm in the direction toward disengagement of said diaphragm from said stop means.

2. A valve structure comprising means provid` ing a multiport valve seat, a multiport slide valve supported in said valve structure for movement thereof in sliding engagement with said seat forwardly and reversely transversely of the direction of fiow of fluid through said valve ports between the open and closed positions of said slide valve, a flexible diaphragm disposed laterally of said flow of fluid through said valve ports and supported at its periphery in said valve structure so as to provide for movement of the central portion of said diaphragm transversely of the sur face extent thereof upon iiexure of said diaphragm, means operatively connecting said central portion of said diaphragm to said slide valve for movement of said central portion with said valve forwardly and reversely upon said exure of said diaphragm, stop means supported in said valve structure so as to engage and disengage said diaphragm atleast at a given face thereof at a point in the movement of said slide valve adjacent a given one of said positions thereof as said diaphragm flexibly moves forwardly and reversely transversely of said surface extent thereof, said stop means being disposed so as to engage said diaphragm at said given face thereof inwardly of and in spaced relation to said supported periphery thereof and extending about said central portion of said diaphragm to deter.- mine upon such engagement an area of said diaphragm within said stop means that is less than the greater area of said diaphragm determined by said supported periphery thereof, said diaphragm cooperating with said valve structure to form a fluid pressure chamber at said given face of said diaphragm, and means providing a passage communicating with the fluid pressure space at a given side of said slide valve and communicating with said fluid pressure chamber inwardly toward the center of said diaphragm with respect to said stop means so that said lesser'and greater areas of said diaphragm'are subjected at said 'given face thereof to the fluid pressure at said side of said slide valve respectively .when said diaphragm is engaged by and is disengaged from said stop means. y

3. A valve structure as defined in claim 2 in which said diaphragm is supported in said valve structure with the extent of .the diaphragm surface transverse to the direction of movement of said valve and generally symmetrically with respect to said valve, said operative connection acting in the direction parallel to said direction of movement of said valve, said stop means provide ing an annular stop element supported in said valve structure substantially symmetrically with respect to the extent of the surface of said diaphragm and engageable along the annulus thereof with said diaphragm upon exure of said diaphragm to define an area of said diaphragm less than the area defined within said supported periphery thereof, said pressure chamber being defined at one side thereof by said less and greater areas of said diaphragm respectively when said diaphragm is in and out of engagement with said stop element.

4. A valve structure as defined in claim 2 which comprises means for adjusting the positionof said stop means with respect to said valve structure to vary the position of the valve with respect to the valve ports at which said stop means is engaged by said diaphragm.

5. A valve structure as defined in claim 2 comprising an auxiliary stop means supported in said valve structure so as to engage and disengage said diaphragm at the face thereof opposite to said given face at a point in the movement of said slide valve adjacent the other position thereof, said auxiliarystop means being disposed so as to engage said diaphragm at said other face thereof inwardly of and in spaced relation to said supported periphery thereof and extending about said central portion of said diaphragm to determine at said opposite face thereof upon said engagement of said diaphragm with said auxiliary stop means an area of said diaphragm within said auxiliary stop means that is less than the greater area of said diaphragm determined by said supported periphery thereof, said diaphragm cooperating with said valve structure to form a second uid pressure chamber at said opposite face of said diaphragm, and means providing a second passage communicating with said second fiuid pressure -chamber inwardly toward the center of said diaphragm with respect to said auxiliary stop means so that said lesser and greater areas of said diaphragm at said opposite face thereof are subjected to the fluid pressure in said second passage respectively when said diaphragm is engaged by and is disengaged from, said auxiliary stop means.

6. A valve structure as dei-ined in claim 2 in which said diaphragm is formed of resilient material and cooperates with said stop means to develop -upon engagement of said diaphragm with said stop means a bias in said diaphragm acting in the same direction of movement of said dia- I `phragm and said slide valve connected thereto as that produced by said fluid pressure in said chamber acting on said diaphragm at said given face thereof. Y

7. A valve structure as defined in claim 6 in which said diaphragm is composed of a. plurality of diaphragm elements having continuous surfaces thereof in face to face contact with each other, at least one of said diaphragm elements being provided with a plurality of slits therein extending generally outwardly toward the periphery of said diaphragm, said slits being spaced in the peripheral direction to provide a plurality of sectors separated from each other by saidslits, said diaphragm elements cooperating with each other at said contacting surfaces to close said slits against flow of fluid therethrough.

8. A valve structure as defined in claim '7 in which at least two of said diaphragm elements are provided with said slits and are positioned relativeto each other with said slits thereof in staggeredrelation and with the sectors of one diaphragm element covering the slits in another of said diaphragm elements to close said slits against flow of said fluid therethrough.

9. An operator for a multiport slide valve comprising a, flexible diaphragm, a body supporting said diaphragm at its periphery so as to provide for movement of the central portion thereof transversely ofv the surface extent thereof upon flexure of said diaphragm, means connected to said central portion and formed to be connectible to a slide member of a slide valve for movement of said slide member upon said flexure of said diaphragm, said body forming with said diaphragm a fluid pressure chamber at least at a given face of said diaphragm, stop means supported by said body so as to engage and disengage said diaphragm at said given face thereof as said diaphragm flexibly moves respectively forwardly and reversely transversely of said surface extent phragm to determine upon s-uch engagement an area of said diaphragm less than the greater area thereof determined by said supported periphery thereof, and means providing a fluid conveying passage communicating with said fluid pressure chamber inwardly toward the center of the diaphragm with respect to said stop means so that said lesser and greater areas of the diaphragm respectively are subjected to the pressure of a fluid conveyed through said passage when said diaphragm is engaged by and is disengaged from said stop means.

10. An operator for a multiport slide valve comprising a resilient flexible diaphragm, a body supporting said diaphragm at its periphery so as toY provide for movement of the central portion thereof transversely of the surface extent thereof upon flexure of said diaphragm, means connected to said central portion and formed to be connectible to a slide member of a slide valve for movement of said slide member upon said exure Y of said diaphragm, said body forming with said diaphragm a fluid pressure chamber at least at one face of said diaphragm, stop means supported by said body so as to engage and disengage said diaphragm at a given face thereof as said diaphragm flexibly moves respectively forwardly and reversely transversely of said surface extent thereof, said stop means being disposed so as to engage said diaphragm inwardly of and in spaced relation to vsaid periphery thereof and extending about said central portion of said diaphragm to determine a circumference of contact of said stop means with said diaphragm at said given face less than the supported periphery of said diaphragm to provide for continued forward movement of said central portion after said engagement by said stop means upon bending of 7 said resilient flexible diaphragm upon said stop Number means to develop in said diaphragm a bias for 643,519 reverse movement thereof. 670,539 ERNEST MERCIER. 749,942 MARCEL EHLINGER. 5 938,574 1,780,387 REFERENCES CITED 2,035,776 The following references are of record in the 2'045038 me of this patent: 2227297 UNTTED STATES PATENTS 10 2'327'055 Number` Name Date 32,670 Smith June 25, 1861 Number 601,664 MacDonald Apr. 5, 1898 83,631 612,443 Thorburn Oct. 18, 1898 15 483,837

Name Date Miller Feb. 13, 1900 Erwin Mar. 26, 1901 Mullin Jan. 19, 1904 Goldsmith Nov. 2, 1909 Hart Nov. 4, 1930 Voss Mar. 31, 1936 Kuenhold June 23, 1936 Coy Dec. 31, 1'940 McMahon Aug. 17, 1943 FOREIGN PATENTS Country Y Date Germany of 1893 France Feb. 26, 1916 

